Coyote vs. Acme

By Joanna Langfield

Like its wily storyline, this little movie that could, wins on a surprising number of counts.

This is a canny cartoon/live action hybrid, one that not only makes us laugh out loud but convinces us to root for Coyote, that not exactly warm and fuzzy little guy, now taking time off from pursuing Road Runner to take on The Man. That man, in this case, is the slick and maybe savvy Buddy Cane, the notorious legal face of Acme, the corporation behind all of the inventions that have literally blown up in Coyote’s face for decades.

Drawn from Ian Frazier’s original piece in The New Yorker, published in 1990, this adaptation is as much of an appreciation as it is a smart entertainment that’s sure to tap into a lot of modern day sensibilities. Will Forte is a sad sack of a lawyer, beaten down by the times, scrapping together an existence by cheaply settling whatever cases happen to walk in his door. Encouraged by intern Page (a lovely Lana Condor), he half heartedly takes on Coyote’s seemingly unwinnable situation. I mean, can two little perpetual losers actually win against Big Business?

I won’t give it away, but will say that director Dave Green takes us on a socially relevant roller coaster of laughs and family temperate thrills. Even as more of a Bugs Bunny girl myself, it is sweet fun to meet up with so many of the other Looney Tunes stars many of us grew up with. And, according to what we see here, a few of them have grown up a little, too.

But it is hard to ignore the story of this story, the industry drama surrounding this light but aware effort. Warner Brothers shelved it back in 2023, claiming it as a reportedly $30 million dollar tax write-off. After a public backlash, the film was sold and is now, finally, hitting theaters. Which makes this feel good movie of the summer feel even better.